bulldog04

An even better example of the button icon problem is in the close-up picture of the navigation system. The position of "NAV" on the button is ridiculous. It's significantly off-center (to the right).

MDXLuvr

It definetly looks nicer. What i don't understand is why it took them 3 years(?) before they came out with a decent interior. By now the buying public has already removed the SRX on their $50k list.

QUIKAG

Who the hell would think to 'intentionally' place the icon off-center to prevent it from wearing off in a few years.

Of course, I've seen many older domestic AND foreign cars that have had the writing rubbed off and it's annoying figuring out what the button is for.

Finally, do you GM haters really think they order sub-standard plastic parts that 'accidently' have the writing off-center. I can understand the cheaper plastic part, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to get the lettering lined up on a damn button if that is what GM spec'd.

harryb92

The reason being the is proper vertical alignement of text on the buttons. Otherwise it would look out of place.

victory423

Regarding the off center "NAV" text on the button, it would appear that the texts on the buttons are right justified and that the buttons are of decreasing size, forcing the text to be off center.

Slamnasty

OK now I *KNOW* you guys are just biased against GM in this case for no valid reason. This is a really nitpicky, dumb comment, and you will find the same such "nagging" detail on cars for myriad other manufacturers. If they centered the words on all the buttons, it'd look decidely retarded. You don't sound like you work in graphic design, and from this comment, I would see why.

People talk about Toyota interiors a lot, but I've sat in a few, and even the current Sienna has holdover clunky buttons on its dash. The previous-gen Camry had this issue too.

Taking it farther, the new IS has huge, oversized buttons for the radio band controls. On the SC430, the door lock buttons are still that crappy creamy plastic instead of chrome or a metallic color, which has been the case even since the original SC. 15 years with the same crappy door lock buttons. The new GS has a tray of plastic buttons that pop out of that little dash cubby-thing.

Seriously guys, though these 4 pieces on the SRX's dash could've been better, they are hardly that line in the sand between luxury and economy. They aren't any worse than some of the buttons on the Infiniti G's console, to use another example. This argument can be used on any car. I could even make this case about more exotic or expensive cars. No company gets every single ergonomic detail 100% perfect.

Also, how often do you plan on pressing the Hazard button should you buy this SRX? If any button mattered less in terms of its quality of materials, I can't think of it.

Let's get real here.

Chris Stack

First of all, I did work in graphic design for two years

Second, I recognize why the NAV button is off center, that's not a big deal.

Third, I understand that GM is hardly alone in cost cutting.

But, the issue is, that EVERY FREAKING SINGLE TIME a new GM model comes out, it's jammed down our throats by GM in advertisements, and by about 5 people on this board, how this great new model is a huge break from the past and leapfrogs everything else and is so wonderful...and then I can take a 10 second look at the press photos and see the same old shitty parts stuck on the car. I'm sure the SRX is a perfectly good car in its own right, but quit parading the latest thing from GM and telling me how great it is when I can clearly see that it is just a remixed version of last year's shit.

Bottom line is that I wouldn't feel nearly as compelled to point out the GM cars' flaws if people didn't keep posting their shit on here and telling me how flawless they are. If you don't want to hear the flaws, then don't tell me its nearly perfect.


And BTW, the writing on all over our Honda/Acuras' buttons doesn't rub off with time, because it isn't just writing; it's a translucent marking that allows the button to be backlit, not just some white paint like on the two buttons I pointed out in the SRX.

Slamnasty

I would argue it's the dealerships that do all the commercials for Ford, GM and D-C. I haven't seen a real Caddy commercial in ages, let alone one for any of their other cars. I *HAVE* however seen 6 million commercials for their dealerships in town goading me to "come in today". GM and Ford don't control those ads, those businesses do.

I am familiar with the simple mechanics of backlighting a button. But I can still find several instances of ergonomic gaffes in Japanese or European cars that don't make a lot of sense. For Germany, lots of tiny buttons seems to automatically equate to status. It certainly doesn't cure carpal tunnel.

Chris Stack

Perhaps, in regards to commercials (though there are national campaigns run by GM/F). But I mean in press releases, interviews with execs, autoshow displays/press conferences; everything is announced as a break from the past, a new way of doing business, a new level of quality, a new direction for the company, blah blah blah. If everything is so new, why does it look a lot like the old?

[QUOTE]I am familiar with the simple mechanics of backlighting a button. But I can still find several instances of ergonomic gaffes in Japanese or European cars that don't make a lot of sense.

Slamnasty

Well, if your business was on the downside and losing ground daily, wouldn't you go on a media blitz to get as many buyers as you could? A company trumpeting its new direction invariably has to pave a new path that's directly connected to the one they were on, it's just that this time it's in a more proactive direction. The old ways take a while to work out of the system. Just ask Nissan.